By Chris Totobela
Women’s boxing sensation, Makhanda’s finest and South African champion in the 63kg division, Asanele “Rush Hour” Macwili has put Makhanda on the map after winning her title last year in Durban.
Macwili started her boxing career in 2017 when she joined Mfuzo Boxing Camp. She recalls her first sparring as if it was yesterday, remembering how she was thrown into the deep end. She fought against her male counterpart and won that difficult and testing bout, and from then on she never looked back.
The Khutliso Daniels Secondary School learner’s boxing skills improved and she started gaining more wins under her belt. Speaking to Grocott’s Mail, Macwili said “I got attracted to this sport because I saw it as an opportunity to learn some skills to defend myself on the streets. We women are always easy targets for thugs. Joining Mfuzo Boxing Camp really helped me a lot. I have learned discipline, self-defence and I am able to control my anger as well.”
Macwili is now hard at training preparing to represent the Eastern Cape Province in National Championships to be held in Mpumalanga in October this year. There, she will get the opportunity to defend her South African title.
In her message to women for Women’s Month, Macwili appealed to women to take up their rightful place in sports and not shy away from taking part in physical or contact sports. She also encouraged women to keep themselves fit and healthy and to stay away from alcohol and drugs.
